Ground engaging brake for filing cabinets or the like



July 5, 1949. DAMS 2,475,130

GROUND ENGAGING BRAKE FOR FILING CABINETS OR THE LIKE Filed June 13, 1945 Patented July 5, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GRGU-ND ENGAGING BRAKE FOR FILING CABINETS OR THE LIKE PearlAnn Davis, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application June 13, 1945, Serial No. 599,197

1 Claim. 1

My invention relates to supports for filing cabinets and more particularly to devices which are adapted for mounting and for holding a filing cabinet in place, thereby facilitating its handling and moving over the floor, and also, for locking same in position to prevent the sideward shifting thereof, when in place.

Accordingly an object of my invention is to provide a suitable support meansmounted upon suitable wheels or casters, said'support having means for locating and for mounting thereon a filing cabinet or a set of individual file cases, disposed one over the other, so that when in position, said support may be shifted from its place or position, for permitting cleaning'of the floor or the carpet thereunder, and also, having suitable locking means associated therewith and adapted for locking said support in its place when said cabinet mounted thereon, is in position.

Another object of my invention is to provide said support means of substantially strong and light in weight construction, also, having the wheels or casters positioned at or nearly in the corners thereof, for sustaining the load of the filing cabinet when placed thereon, and also for preventing its buckling.

Further object of my invention is to provide said locking means of said support with a suitable control means, the position of which being at the front and extending to the rear section thereof, said locking means being provided with a suitable elevating means positioned near or in close proximity to the rear wheels or castersof said support, thereby maintaining the locking action at the rear of said support and at the same time preventing said filing cabinet from shifting sidewardly or frontwardly, when in locked position.

Other object of my invention is to provide said elevating means of said lock with a pair of eccentrio means, which are so positioned and connected thereto, whereby the locking means may be actuated with ease and positiveness when required, and in addition, said lock control having a suitably arranged lever means whereby the locked or released position of said elevating means may be ascertained at a glance.

My invention also has for its objects to provide such means that are positive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed in a working position and easily disconnected therefrom, economical in manufacture, relatively simple, and of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novel combination and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear in the course of the following description.

Reference now being had to the accompanying drawings in which the similar reference characters, denote the same parts.

In the drawings;

Fig. 1 shows the perspective view of the support adapted for the filing cabinets.

Fig. 2 shows the vertical side elevational View of the support.

Fig. 3 shows an enlarged detailed sectional view of the support, taken on the line 33 of the Fig. 2.

Fig. 1 is the top sectional View of the control, taken on the line 4--4 of the Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional and fragmentary view of the elevating member taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2 and in similar position as illustrated in Fig. 3.

Describing my invention more in detail, said invention comprises a frame 2, the size of which is made to suit for mounting thereon a filing cabinet 4 as shown in dotted lines.

For the purpose of simplicity, said frame 2 is made out of suitable fiat stock members, which comprise, the side members 6 and 8, and also the front member ID and a suitable rear member l2, which at their respective corners said frame members are welded in place, thus forming a rectangular support, having a center opening M, as shown.

The front member I0 is provided with an angularbrace it, one side edge of which, as at [8, is fastened to the underside section of said member I0, having its front plate 20' extending upwardly, for providing a front support for said cabinet 4. The rear member I2 is provided with a rear angular brace 22, having a side edge 24 mounted at the underside section of said rear member l2, so that its upward rear plate 26 provide the rear support for said cabinet 4, when mounted thereon.

It may be noted that the plate 20 of said front angular brace i6 is narrow in width, which is for the purpose to provide a sufiicient clearance for the lowermost drawer 30 of said cabinet, while said upward rear plate 26 being considerably higher thereby provides a back support for the base 3| of said cabinet, and particularly when said cabinet 4 so mounted upon said frame 2, is shifted and moved around from one place to another,

At the underside section of said angular braces l6 and 24, a set of suitable wheels or casters 32, 34, 36 and 38 are mounted, which may be of any suitable type or construction, and which are held in place thereon by means of rivets 40, said casters, in preferred form, are of the revolving or swinging type, so that the moving or shifting of the frame 2 with said cabinet 4 mounted thereon, may be facilitated, particularly when loaded or heavy.

In close proximity to said rear casters 36 and 38, a suitable elevating means 42 and 44 are provided, each comprising a housing 46 which is mounted thereon and is held in place by means of screws or rivets 48, each having a plunger hole 39 in its center, as shown.

The inner side of said housing 46 is provided with a suitable bracket 50 which is provided with a pivot pin 52 upon which a suitable bell crank lever 55 is pivotally mounted, having the upper end 56 provided with a suitable hole 58 adapted for receiving therein a loop 60 of the control cable or rod 62.

The lower end Eli of said lever 54 is provided with a suitable slot 56 which is adapted for connecting a cross pin 88.

The ends of said cross pin 68 are slidably mounted within a slot 18, while said pin 68 is mounted within the body of a suitable elevating plunger 12, thereby preventing said plunger from turnin and allowing it to slide within said housing 48 when required.

The lower section of said plunger 12 is provided with a resting knob 14, while its upper section is provided with a recess 18 wherein a suitable oil saturated wick 1'8 is placed, so that said plunger may be lubricated, as required.

Also, said side edge 24 including said member S2 of said frame 2 are each provided with a suitable hole or socket 88, which are in line with said plunger hole 48 and wherein a suitable spring 82 is placed, and which is adapted for holding said resting knob i l in its lower-most position, when released by said bell crank lever 54.

In order to control the position of each bell crank lever 54, each cable or rod 82 is connected to a strap housing 84, wherein an eccentric bushing 88 is rotatably positioned and which is mounted in a fixed position upon a. cross shaft 88.

Said eccentric bushing 86 including said shaft 58 are supported in place by means of a pair of side brackets 88, which are mounted in the center and at the underside section 92 of said frame 2.

Said shaft 88 also extends to the front section of said frame 2, the end of which is mounted in a suitable bracket 94, having the shaft end 96 extending therethrough and provided with a handle or suitable control lever 98, which, when in its position to the right, as shown in Fig. 1, then said elevating locking members 42 and 44 are held in their uppermost position, as shown in Fig. 3, and when said lever 98 is placed to the left, then said elevating members become released and are in their downward or engaging position, as shown in dotted lines, in said Fig. 3.

While I have thus described my invention with great particularity, it will be clear that the same may be modified throughout a wide range, and that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

In a cabinet support of the class described, comprising a frame, a front and rear plate members mounted on said frame, a plurality of caster members at the underside section of said frame, a pair of lock housings mounted at the underside section of said frame and in close proximity to said caster members, a plunger slidably mounted in each lock housing, a resting knob at the extended end of each plunger, a bell crank member mounted on each housing for lifting and for lowering said plunger, a recess in each plunger for housing a lubricating wick therein, a spring in each housing for causing the downward movement of said plunger, a cross shaft mounted at the underside section of said frame and extending slightly over the front plate thereof, a pair of eccentric bushings mounted on said cross shaft and disposed in close proximity and in line with said lock housings, a strap housing on each of said eccentric bushings, a rod member connecting each strap housing and each bell crank means for controlling the position of said plungers, and lever means at the frontwardly extending cross shaft end for controlling the position of said eccentric bushings and said plungers for lifting or lowering said cabinet support, substantially as described.

PEARL ANN DAVIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 151,841 Cass June 9, 1874 1,747,972 Feldmann Feb. 18, 1930 1,789,391 De Forest Roe Jan. 20, 1931 2,185,073 Chamberlain Dec. 26, 1939 

